Family Law Judge Calls Mother “Human Disaster”

A Northern California family law judge received an admonishment from the state’s judicial disciplinary commission for calling parents “stupid”, “rotten” and “total human disasters.” The Commission on Judicial Performance ruled that Superior Court Judge Daniel Healy, a family law judge in Solano County, violated rules regarding professional and courteous conduct. The commission agreed to issue a public admonishment of the judge for his abusive and insulting language by a unanimous 10-0 vote.

Family Law Judge’s History of Abusive Language

The commission’s reports show that Judge Healy has had a history of dealing out abusive language as a family law judge. Since he took the bench in January 2011, at least six cases of the family law judge using harsh and insulting language towards litigants have been reported. In one case from December 2012, Judge Healy scolded a divorcing couple for their poor behavior in the court. He told them that, if they showed a similar attitude to their daughter, that she “might as well…start walking the streets as a hooker.”

Family Law Judge Oversteps Authority

In one notable case from 2013, a mother in Judge Healy’s court was accused of driving while intoxicated while her child was in the car. Judge Healy called the mother “a train wreck,” a “liar”, a “rotten” mother and a “total human disaster.” In the same case, police attempted to serve an arrest warrant on the father for domestic abuse against the mother. The commission alleges that Judge Healty overstepped his bounds as a family law judge by attempting to discourage the police from arresting the father.

Family Law Judges Deal With High-Conflict Cases

Although most family law judges deal with what are known as “high-conflict” cases, the commission still voted to admonish Judge Healy for his language and his interference. The commission’s report said that Judge Healy’s conduct “constituted a failure to uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary” and that his language showed “the antithesis of imparting the importance of respect.” The public admonition is less severe than public censure or removal from office, but more harsh than a private advisory letter or private admonition.

Family Law Judge Apologizes For Conduct

During the commission’s hearing, Judge Healy apologized for his conduct, but also noted that his harsh methods are sometimes necessary in high-conflict cases. While the family law judge admitted that he could have handled matters better, he did not apologize for the intent behind his words. The family law judge told the commission that “blunt and evocative language” was often needed to get the attention of parents and get them to focus on the needs of their children.

Source: KPIX-TV

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